Latvia praises IT industry development in Belarus

The information technologies industry in Belarus is well-advanced, BelTA learned from Latvian Economy Minister Dana Reizniece-Ozola during the tour of the Hi-Tech Park on 22 October.

The Latvian Economy Minister arrived in Minsk on the occasion of the Days of Latvia, which are scheduled to take place in Belarus on 20 October – 20 November. During the tour of the Hi-Tech Park the Latvian Economy Minister intended to get familiar with the sphere of science and information technologies as one of the key avenues of potential productive cooperation between Belarus and Latvia.

Dana Reizniece-Ozola said that opportunities for cooperation will be sought at the political and practical levels. Apart from traditional partnership in mechanical engineering, woodworking, transport and transit Belarus and Latvia should promote cooperation in the area of science and information technologies, said the official.

Hi-Tech Park Director Valery Tsepkalo presented the Park’s capabilities and potential before the Latvian delegation in the form of a roundtable session. At present Belarus’ Hi-Tech Park is home to 150 companies and 22,000 programmers.

After the tour of Belarus’ Hi-Tech Park Dana Reizniece-Ozola, who was the director of a hi-tech park in Latvia in the past, praised the high level of development of the Belarusian information technologies industry on the whole and organizational standards of Belarus’ Hi-Tech Park in particular. She also noted the availability of a large number of good IT specialists on the Belarusian market.

Cooperation in the sphere of science and information technologies was also discussed during the Belarusian-Latvian business forum on 20 October. Latvia’s IT industry was presented during the forum among other things. Dana Reizniece-Ozola said that the Latvian private sector is interested in partnership with Belarus.